


A Tale of Three Witches: Second Chances

by no01



Series: A Tale of Three Witches [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23215396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/no01/pseuds/no01
Summary: Dissapointed with The Cursed Child as a follow up to the series? Adore JK Rowling's work but actually want real LGBT representation in the Harry Potter universe? Loved the Harry Potter series when you were younger, but now that you are older you can spot many holes in the world building and maybe want something a bit more mature to fit your current age while still enjoying the nostalgia that Harry Potter series gives you? Do you prefer villains that are not completely evil but act and think in a grayer area? This is the fanfic for you my friend. This is part one of a series, so buckle up for a long ride.In this story we follow Jackie McAllister, a witch born from muggle scientists that don't seem to understand her at all, even before they found out she was a freak; Maggie Tonks Lupin, daughter of esteemed war heroes and twin sister to a Metamorphmagus, always feeling like she's second best to everyone and Samantha Dolohov, who spent most of her life on the run from Aurors, now has to face a chance at a normal life and all that comes with it, including the hatred and fear that her name brings on.
Series: A Tale of Three Witches [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1669108
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I'll be posting a new chapter every Monday! Feedback is greatly encouraged. It helps me a lot when thinking of new things to write. 
> 
> This fanfic is loosley based on a tabletop RPG campaign that I am currently playing. Shout out to my friend Pedro who is the Dungeon Master for the story and helped me adapt it into writing. Shoutout also to everyone else playing the game that created such rich characters that made me so inspired that I decided to write this thing in the first place. They have all helped and contributed with feedback and suggestions. Special shoutout also to my girlfriend who has a flair for dramatics and always gives great scene suggestions. Love you all! 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

The summer air was hot in the quiet English neighborhood. It was somewhat late in the morning, nearly time for lunch, and the sun was already uncomfortable to be under. Windows lay open, becoming in some lucky fresh breeze, though of course, there was none. The blossomed trees in the park across the road lay still, content to just lay in the sun. 

The stillness suddenly rustled with a spark and pop behind the lazy trees. A breeze soon followed, in a sort of unnatural way if one only had an eye keen enough to tell the difference. A woman, brown hair and brown eyes, stepped out from behind were she had sprung up from thin air. Her suit was elegant and made out of thin material for a perfect sunny day. The click of her red shoes on the concrete were in rhythm, steady and sure as they walked on the stepping stones and the small porch of one of the houses. She knocked three times, politely. After a few minutes, she knocked thrice more, a bit less polite. The door opened. Two people, a man and a woman emerged from behind it. The woman was dark skinned with short curly hair and the man had a light complexion and blonde hair. 

“Hello?” The woman had an American accent and they both matched the description she was given, so she assumed it was the correct household.

“Good morning. My name is Christina Cartwell from the Department of Supervision and Protection of Underage Magic-Users in Peril.” She gave out her business card but the man and woman just started at her flatly. “... or SPUMP for short. It can be quite a mouthful. May I come in?”

The couple started at each other now, trying to figure out what to say to the mysterious woman at their door. “It’s alright, really. I assume you have many questions about your daughter. Jacquelyn, is it?” Christina said. 

“Yes, Jackie is our daughter. How do you-” The man began. He had a British accent. 

“How do I know her name? She has been under our observation ever since the swimming pool incident. It turned red did it not?” 

“How-?” The woman began. 

“Red is truly a quite jarring color. If only the rest of the pool goers hadn’t been so frightened, they would have seen the whole pool had but only turned into strawberry juice. Quite delicious. Please, may I come in? It’s very hot out here and I’m sure you have been looking for answers about Jackie for some time now. I can answer them all and more.” 

“Yes, come in.” The mother said, coming to her senses. “Would you like some water?” 

“That would be lovely, thank you.” Christina answered, plopping herself on their chair. The father sat across as did the mother when she returned with the water. 

“So where is Jackie at the moment?” Christina said. 

“She’s upstairs.” The father said, eyeing his wife. 

“Yes. Sleeping.” She confirmed. 

“Ah to be young again and sleep until noon, right?” Christina’s voice was light, but her eyes missed no detail in the couple’s tense interaction as they spoke of their daughter. Something was not right. Perhaps she had come to this house just in time. 

“I wouldn’t know, really. When I was a teen I woke up early in the summer to study.” The father said with a polite smile. Christina glanced around the room, an awful lot of superior education degrees hung on the wall, moreso even than family pictures. 

“So, might you have any questions about Jackie and her odd abilities?” Christina continued.

“Yes. Many of them. How do they work?” Her mother had Christina’s full attention. 

“Well, it’s somewhat of a mystery until this day. No scholar has managed to explain where exactly magic comes from, but it is no doubt genetic. You either have it, or you don’t.” 

“So there are people like her?” The mother asked, with a bit a relief, but mostly great interest. 

“Yes indeed. Many more, living under your noses. We have our own Ministry that only most high ranking non-magic government officials know of. We exist all throughout the world in secret.” 

“I find all this very hard to believe.” The father crossed his arms with a stern frown. “It feels like some sort of elaborate prank.” 

“Mr. McAllister, I assure you this is no prank.” Christina pulled out her wand from an inner pocket inside her suit. “Usually, we are not allowed to perform magic in front of non-magic folk, but I have special clearance from the Ministry.” 

Christina inhaled calmly, concentrating and said quietly. “ _ Expecto Patronum.”  _

From the tip of her wand, a translucent light slipped out like mist, slowly transforming itself into the shape of a wildcat. It sauntered around the house with grace, observing its surroundings for any kind of danger. Jackie’s parents sat with mouth agape, the man in shock and the woman with marveled awe. 

“We can do things like this and much more, but Jackie must go to school. It has come to our attention at SPUMP that Jackie is still unaware of the letter she received recently inviting her to receive an education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I’m sure you had no idea what that meant at the time, but now you do. The time has come for her to know about who and what she is.” 

“That’s what she is? A witch?” The father said, still not quite able to wrap his head around the whole situation. 

“Yes.” Christina waited for an answer as the couple looked at each other, silently communicating. 

“How do we know this Magic School is giving her a proper education?” Mr. McAllister asked. 

“I thought you might ask that.” Christina smiled, and pulled from her pocket a two pieces of paper, handing them to the parents.“I brought you the full curriculum, year by year and the list of school materials necessary for the first year.”

Christina let the parents read the papers undisturbed as they discussed among themselves. As she sipped at her cool water, something caught her eye at the top of the staircase of the house. Her patronus stared at her, and as soon as it caught her attention, it walked hurriedly up the steps. Something was not right. 

“May I use the restroom while you discuss?” Christina asked. 

“Of course. Upstairs, second room on the left.” Mrs. McAllister responded. 

“Thank you.” Christina walked up to meet her patronus who seemed to be waiting for her. The wildcat sat in front of one of the bedroom doors. It went inside and she followed suit. 

The room was a pre-teen’s room no doubt. Posters of Athletes were scattered on the walls mixed with stuffed animals and many sports equipment lying around. It was easy to see Jackie was very different from her parents in more ways than just being a witch. While the rest of the house was immaculately arranged, Jackie’s room was bursting with personality. Unfortunately, Jackie herself was nowhere to be found. 

Christina observed more closely. There were clothes on the floor, the closet was wide open, so were the drawers. One of them was even on the ground, dislodged from the wooden structure. Christina walked over to the window, which lay wide open and could see clearly a path down to the apple tree directly in front of the window. It was quite the stretch, but surely not a difficult jump for an athlete. 

Christina’s palms began to sweat and searched for some kind of note to confirm her fears. Surely, a piece of paper sat on top of Jackie’s desk. 

  
  


_ Mom and Dad,  _

_ I always knew I was different from you guys, but I guess there is a limit after all to just how different I can be. I’m not sure you even think of me as your daughter anymore. I feel like a test subject in one of your stupid researches which is all you talk about all the time. I won’t be a guinea pig anymore. Don’t try to find me.  _

_ \- Jackie _

_ Oh dear.  _ Christina thought to herself.  _ Things were worse than I expected. I should have gotten here sooner.  _

* * *

  
  


“Uncle Harry! Aunt Ginny!” Teddy exclaimed, nearly tripping over himself as he ran down the stairs of the Tonks house. His hair was bright pink, as it usually was whenever he was excited. 

“Teddy!” Harry grabbed is godson in his arms and spun him around the room, making the boy’s hair grow into deep magenta as he squealed. “How’s my boy?” 

“I’m great! I’ve been practicing changing my hair. Look, I’ll make it blue now!” He concentrated hard. It turned yellow instead.

“That’s incredible, Teddy.” Harry ruffled his hair a bit and smiled from ear to ear, not bothering to tell the boy he didn’t change it into the right color. “Where’s your sister?” 

“She’s in our room reading I think.” Teddy said. “I’ll go get her!” 

“Edward.” Andromeda called from the kitchen. “Don’t be rude. Give your Godmother and Godsister a hug.” 

“Oh! Sorry Auntie.” He rushed and gave them both an awkward hug, since Ginny was holding Lilly, a child of barely a year, in her arms at the same time. 

“Hi, Teddy.” Ginny smiled. 

“Maggie! Harry and Ginny are here!” He said, running up the stairs.

“I wonder if he’ll ever run out of energy.” Ginny said, making herself comfortable in the Tonks home. She sat Lilly down on the soft carpet in the living room so she could explore while Ginny herself sat on the couch. 

“I doubt it. He’s got his mother in him.” Andromeda smiled a bit wistfully as she set down tea and biscuits for her guests. 

“He sure does.” Harry smiled. No words could measure how grateful he was for being able to care for his late friend’s family as well as his own. It was everything he had ever wanted. His heart, after so many years yearning for family, finally felt complete. 

“Hi!” His Goddaughter’s voice shook him out of his thoughts. She was so silent, he hadn’t even heard her come down the steps. 

“Hey, Maggie!” Harry stood and walked over her to give her a warm hug. “How are you? Teddy says you’ve been reading a lot.” 

Maggie’s face lit up a bit and she nodded. 

“Maybe Ginny’s right after all. She says you might be a Ravenclaw. Would you like that?” Harry asked, happy to have made her smile.

“I would rather be a Hufflepuff.” Maggie said. 

“Your mum was a Hufflepuff. Speaking of which, you look more like her each day.” He ruffled her hair, and she smiled. 

“Why did you come today?” She asked. 

“Well, today’s a very special day. Come join us on the couch!” Ginny said. “And come say hi to Lilly.” 

Once all reunited on the couch, Harry pulled out two envelopes from his pocket. “So I noticed no one checked the mail today…” 

“No way!” Teddy jumped up from his seat and all but yanked it out of Harry’s hand. 

“Edward!” Andromeda snapped, but not quite able to hide the small smile from her face. 

“Sorry, Nana.” He took a breath to calm himself and opened. 

“You knew the day it was coming. So you could surprise us.” Maggie said, taking her envelope. 

“Being a Hogwarts professor has its perks.” Harry smiled. 

“You knew about it too.” Maggie said to her grandmother who nodded and smiled in response. 

“Get dressed, children. We’re going to Diagon Alley.” 

  
  


* * *

Samantha was already small for her age. As she looked up at all the people staring at her from their seats in the audience, she felt even smaller, yet not small enough. She wondered just how small she could make herself so that they wouldn’t see her anymore. Her arm lay strapped down by the magic arm seat of the chair, stinging as the truth serum was injected into her veins. Every time they had given her the potion she had spit it out.

“Ms. Dolohov. Do you know why you are here today?” The judge asked, her voice echoing in the hall. Her voice was as cold as the black stone walls surrounding them. Neutral, yet unyielding. 

“Aurors captured me.” Sam answered, just barely a whisper. They had enchanted her voice so everyone could hear what she said even though she did not want to be heard. 

“Yes. But do you know why they were chasing you and your family?” The judge at least, was patient. Her tone never changing. 

“My parents fought a war an-” A flash from a camera on her left made her jump. “And they lost.” 

“You and your family managed to evade capture for nearly 11 years. How was this possible?” 

Sam bit her lip, trying to fight the serum. She could not lie, but she could force herself to omit information. She had been well prepared by her parents, but her strength could only last so much. “Mother and father are animagus.”

A murmur from the crowd. Samantha breathed hard, and she knew she had given up too much.

“And what animals do they turn into?” 

“Moose and Owl.” Samantha felt useless, her mouth opening on its own accord. Her arm stung more, and she couldn’t help but cry. She saw some people writing the information down on their little notepads.

“The more you struggle, the more it hurts, Ms. Dolohov. Please, collaborate with us.” The judge cleared her throat. “Now, what of their whereabouts? Do you have any idea where they could be now?”

Samantha felt her tears form a steady stream down her cheek. “Yes.” 

“Where, Ms. Dolohov?” 

Samantha cried out in pain, banging her feet on the ground, shaking her head. She began to taste blood in her mouth from so hard she had been biting her lip not to speak. It was no use. “The Stadium. The muggle stadium. We’ve stayed there sometimes before, I think that’s where they are.” 

“Excellent.” The judge quickly nodded to the Aurors waiting in their posts. They exited the room quickly. “Thank you, Ms. Dolohov. We resume trial in a fortnight.”

With a bang of her hammer, the judge stepped off her podium. The members of the audience shuffled out of their seats, going about their lives. Leaving Samantha to cry on her own. 

“Sorry, kid.” One of the Aurors come to collect her whispered softly to her. She looked him in the eye in such a way that made him flinch, if only a little. But all she could do was let herself be carried back into her cell, defeated. 


	2. Chapter 2

Jackie sat on a bench, eating a cheeseburger. Turns out, her calculations with money had not been correct. According to what her new calculations showed, she only had money for 3 more days worth of cheeseburgers. So maybe, this had not been her best ideia. But for now, she was content to just savor the taste of her meal. 

“Ah, there you are!” a voice called out from her right. She nearly dropped her burguer and ran, thinking it was her mother but it was just a random english lady she didn’t know. “You must be Jackie, correct?

“Um… who are you, lady?” 

“My name is Christina Cartwell. I’m from the Department of Supervision and Protection of Underage Magic-Users in Peril.” She gave out her business card. Jackie stared at it like it was an alien. “ ...Or SPUMP for short.” 

“You’ve gotta be shitting me.” was Jackie’s response. 

“Quite the vocabulary, Ms. McAllister.” Christina smiled. 

“How do you know my name?” 

“You and your family have been under observation for the past couple of weeks since you turned your community pool red.” Christina said. Jackie’s mouth dropped open. 

“How-?” 

“Magical disturbances in the muggle world are a serious issue. Did you not find it odd that no one in your neighborhood has mentioned the incident?” 

“I thought they were just avoiding me…” Jackie said, staring out into the distance. 

“Well, anyway, it has also come to my attention that you are not getting along with your parents.” Christina handed Jackie the note she had left on top of her desk a few hours before. Jackie’s face shifted and her head hung low. “Care to tell me what has been going on?” 

Jackie bit her lip, her head still low. She didn’t seem to be able to form the right words. 

“You don’t have to tell me right now. I have a better idea. Jackie, do you know what you are?” 

“A freak?”

“No, silly. You’re a witch. You’re special. You’re naturally gifted with the power to change the world around you.”

“That doesn’t even make sense. I knew you looked kinda crazy. Anyway, I gotta go. Stranger danger and all that. See ya.” Jackie suddenly recollected herself and stood up from the bench, beginning to walk away.

Christina smiled, concentrated and let magic flow from the center of her chest an out through her wand. Out from its tip, a wildcat made of brilliant white light came out and followed Jackie. It tugged on her socks with a sharp meow. 

“What the heck?” Jackie turned back to look at Christina, who was now levitating a tree branch in the air in front of her. 

“You’re not alone, Jackie. I’m here to help.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Maggie looked up through the display window with big eyes. She tried to memorize every detail of the Varápidos broom exposed in the front of the store. It’s sharp curves and wonderful woodwork. She had read about these brooms in Quidditch Through the Ages, the book Ginny had given to her on her ninth birthday. However, it was entirely different to see one up close. It was the official broom of the Brazilian National Quidditch League, one of the best teams in the world. For a moment she closed her eyes and imagined herself flying on top of it, over Diagon Alley’s busy streets. 

“Come along, Margaret.” 

“Sorry, Nana.” Maggie woke from her daydream and shuffled along after taking just one last look at the marvelous broom.

“Come now, carry your new pet. He’s to be your responsibility from now on, do you understand?” 

“Yes, Nana.”

“Sweet girl. Have you decided on a name?”

They both looked inside the small cage. Inside, a small furry fruit bat started at them. 

“Not sure. I’ll keep thinking.” 

“Hey, Nana!” Teddy sprinted seamingly from nowhere, startling them both just a bit. “Harry says I can have some candy but he said to ask you first.” 

“Yes you may. Tell him to get some for Margaret as well.”

“Sherbert Lemons and Assorted Sours please.” Maggie said. 

“Cool! Thank you, Nana!” And like a bullet with blue hair, Teddy ran back into the candy shop. 

Soon, Harry, Ginny, little Lilly and Teddy stepped out with bags full, clearly having bought more candy than necessary. If Andromeda noticed, she pretended not to.

“Come along children, we saved the best for last.” Nana set the pace for the group. Teddy was already bouncing, his hair changing color depending on which candy he ate. 

“So what house do you think you’ll be sorted into?” Teddy asked, taking a lick at his lollipop. 

“I don’t know. What do you think?” Maggie said. 

“I think you’ll be in Ravenclaw, because you’re a know it all” Teddy said.

Maggie huffed. “It’s not my fault you don’t like to read.” 

Teddy laughed a bit. “I want to be a Hufflepuff like mom or Gryffindor like dad.” He shrugged. “But I guess any house is cool. Just to be going at all is what’s important right?” 

“What do you think will be the best part?” Maggie asked, offering her twin one of her sours. 

“Making new friends and discovering the castle I think. Harry always said the best part of Hogwarts was making friends.” Teddy made a face at the lemon sour, his hair turning bright green. Maggie hung her head down a bit. “What’s the matter?” 

“Nothing. Just anxious, I think”. Maggie bit her lip. She wasn’t as outgoing as Teddy was. Growing up all the friend’s Maggie had made had just been because her brother had befriended them and introduced his sister. Thinking about being in a different house than him made her palms begin to sweat.

“Don’t be silly! There’s nothing to be anxious about, only excited!” He smiled at her. 

“I hope we end up in the same house.” Maggie said. 

“Me too.” Teddy smiled. 

A flash of light interrupted their talk. It blinded them both for a bit, Teddy’s hair turning white. 

“Mr. Potter! A few words for the Daily Prophet?” A reporter spoke from beside his photographer. 

“Not today. Excuse me, I am with my family.” Harry tried to get away, but they stepped into his personal space. 

“What are your thoughts on the Dolohov capture?”

“No comment.” He glanced nervously at his godchildren.

“Were you personally involved in the case? Can we expect to see you in court tomorrow to give testimony on Antonin Dolohov’s brutal crimes?

“No comment. Please, I stepped down from my position as Auror years ago.” 

“Are you relieved that the murderer of your godchildren’s father is finally behind bars?”

“Enough!” Ginny interrupted. “You better leave our family alone before I hex both of you. Bug off. Now!” 

Both men whimpered off, Ginny’s yelling also catching the attention of a few people in the crowded square. Ginny huffed triumphantly and started them off as they went. 

“I’m so glad you’re my wife.” Harry hugged her from behind and kissed her on the cheek, making her frown instantly melt away. 

Maggie looked up at Andromeda, gauging her response to the whole ordeal with the reporters. She seemed to be as distant as Maggie was, like remembering a sad memory. Her eyes almost seemed to shine with tears for just a brief moment. However, as soon as she noticed she was being observed by Maggie, she recolected herself. 

“Come along.” She said, as she usually did while they were in public. Though her voice was not as firm as it usually was. 

_I have to read the Daily Prophet when I get home._ Maggie decided in her head. 

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  


“What was that all about? Witches have paparazzi too?” Jackie asked. She shook her head a bit, trying to relieve a bit of her headache. 

“You’ll find Muggles and Wizards have much more in common with each other than they have differences.” Christina answered. 

Jackie scratched her head as she watched the family go inside one of the shops. Christina had given her a complete tour of the Wizarding World of London, some brief history of the past few years and a bit about the wizarding community in the United States. Jackie felt exhausted already, like she couldn’t wake up from this weird dream that was giving her a headache.

“That man was Harry Potter. Do you remember what I told you about him?” 

“Volder-something tried to kill him as a baby but he didn’t die.” Jackie frowned. “I mean, I get that Volder-something is supposed to be scary, but I mean… how hard can it be to kill a baby?” 

“You’ll read more about him in your history lessons.” Christina chuckled. “Now, let’s go get your most important instrument as a witch: your wand."

"Like one of yours?" 

"Yes, but your very own, unique wand. It is said that a wand chooses its owner and not the other way around, so make sure its an ideal match before we make the purchase, alright?"

"But how will I know it's the right one?" Jackie asked. 

"Trust me, you'll know. And besides, you'll have my help and also the wandmakers. Ollivanders is a centuries old wandmaking family. They sell wands all over the world, so you won't be stuck with a bad wand, I assure you." 

"Cool. Will I be able to blow stuff up?" Jackie said. 

"Most certainly." Christina said, making Jackie's face light up with a smile. "But only on your third year of study, fortunately. Come along." 

Jackie groaned in disapointment, but followed anyway. 

* * *

The shop was quite busy, but not as much as it had been a few hours earlier when they had first arrived at Diagon Alley. It was already past noon and most of the shoppers had taken a break to eat lunch. 

Maggie and Teddy looked up with bright eyes at the stacks upon stacks of boxes, all containing a unique wand, made just to fit their needs. Mr. Ollivander greeted them with a warms smile. He was old and slow to move, but his eyes were still full of energy. He greeted Harry and Ginny with fond smiles, but proceeded quickly to search for the twin’s wands with the help of his son. 

As he was in the back of the store, the bell chimed above the door, signalling new customers. Maggie eyed them, one was a woman. She had brown hair and eyes and wore a fashionable suit. The other was about Maggie’s age, but taller. She had dark skin and and big curly hair. She also wore a sports team cap that Maggie was unfamiliar with, turned backwards on her head. They looked nothing alike, so Maggie assumed that they were not related or the girl was adopted. 

“Ah, Ms. Cartwell.” Mr. Ollivander said. “How is your wand? Still serving you well as an Auror?”

“I’m not an Auror anymore, Mr. Ollivander, but yes. My wand has not failed me once, I doubt it will start now.” 

“And who is this?” He gesture towards the girl. 

“I’m Jackie.” The girl held out her hand and Mr. Ollivander shook it, quite delighted. 

“Firm grip, firm eyes…hm…” He set down to boxes of wands on the counter in front of Maggie and Teddy. “Go on and give them a whirl while I get back.” 

Maggie grabbed her wand first. It was a pretty wand, with intricate designs and a sharp white color and she was eager to try. However, it proved not to be the right wand for her. As soon as it was in her hands, it shot out a bright pink light that bounced around the room, knocking over a few objects. Teddy’s first try was also not good, as he exploded the lamp in the center of the roof.

Ollivander came back with a few more wands for them to try. He handed Jackie her box and she opened it. It was a dark brown color with wisps of grey. Jackie took it into her hand, admiring its craftsmanship as it fit perfectly, it’s texture just rough enough so it would not slip out of her hand with ease. She gave it a flick and soon every pen laying around in the room transformed into dragonflies of all different colors, dancing around the room. After a few moments, they turned into pens again, falling onto the wooden floor with soft clacks. 

Jackie stared at her wand in awe, smiling. The pure wonder of it was enough to leave her standing there, bemused. In a life always full of science, logic and explanations for everything, there were not many moments that she could say she experience this kind of feeling. There was no need for explanation, this wand was hers. 

“Beautiful. Fir does make most remarkable effects when in purposeful hands. Only some have the resilience, focus and strength of character to hold this wand. It is also said that this wand is attracted to wizards and witches with a talent for transfiguration.” He winked at her. Christina smiled, satisfied and payed for the wand with SPUMP resources. 

Teddy and Maggie remained there for quite some time after Jackie had gotten her wand. Christina turned to call the girl so they could continue their shopping, but Jackie had already taken up conversation with the twins, laughing as Teddy changed his hair and Maggie created disastrous effects with all the wands handed to her. 

When one of the wands finally chose Teddy, its effects were dazzling. A series of sparks like small fireworks popped out of his wand. They were harmless to the touch, but still retained the exciting sensory effect of seeing a miniature light show. 

Jackie hooted in excitement at the display, making Christina smile, somewhat relieved. The girl had been through a lot of hardship recently and Christina worried how well she would assimilate with the magical world. It seemed she had a natural ability to make friends, as she was already cheering on the boy and smiling at his sister. 

While everyone cheered for Teddy, Maggie shifted her weight between her feet slightly She picked up another wand, then another and another, and Maggie could feel her palms begging to sweat. She could sense the eyes on her from everyone following her. Harry checked his watch a few times and Lilly began to cry. To make things worse, Teddy and Jackie were laughing, showing off their new wands and she couldn’t hear what they were talking about. The only one who did not seem to be bored or anxious was Ollivander, who seemed to be staring at her, observing. 

“Hm.. Perhaps...” He scratched his chin, trailing off. “I’ll be right back.”

Maggie fidgeted in her shoes, feeling her toes rubbing of the edges. She could feel her eyes beginning to fill up with tears, but she forced her embarrassment down, though she wondered how long she would be able to keep her tears in. 

“Try this one, dear.” He handed her one more box. Maggie took a deep breath. She would not cry in front of everyone. 

Maggie opened the box, inside lay a brown, plain looking wand. It was dark brown and had a grip that looked perfectly modeled for a firm gripped hand. Perhaps a dueling wand? Her concerns briefly overwhelmed by excitement, she put the wand into her hands. 

The effect was instant, not even need a swish or a flick for something to happen. Wind burt through the windows and spun around her. Maggie let out a cry of laughter as the wind wrapped around her and lifted her feet up off the ground for just a moment. It left as quick as at it came, setting her down gently before it went. 

“Beautiful!” Ollivander smiled. 

“You gotta teach me how to do that!” Jackie said. 

“I don’t really know how I did it…” Maggie rubbed the back of her head, trying to settle some of her already messy hair back into place. “But I can try!”

“You my girl, are quite observant aren’t you? If only I was observant as you, I might have picked the right wand quicker.” He smiled. Maggie shrugged, flushing. “My father, Gervaise Ollivander, used to always say, ‘you will never fool the cedar carrier,’ and I agree. I would go further than my father and say that the wizard or witch well bonded with a cedar wand has the potential to be a frightening adversary, especially to those who tend to underestimate them.”

Ollivander’s speech immediately made Maggie’s expression perk up form the nervous thing she was before. She proudly held her wand as she showed it off to her brother and their new friend. As they chatted, excited, Christina approached the family, who watched the children with amused faces from across the shop. 

“Good afternoon, my name is Christina Cartwell.” She introduced herself. “I’m from SPUMP-” 

“The Department of Supervision and Protection of Underage Magic-Users in Peril.” Harry completed, smiling. “Hermione has been all the rage about it since one of her projects has finally been approved by the Ministry. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He shook her hand generously. 

“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Potter.” Christina smiled back. “Might I suggest we go have lunch together? Although I doubt she’ll have much trouble, it’s good that Jackie makes new friends to help adjust to her new world.” 

“Of course.” Andromeda nodded. “That seems like a wonderful idea.” 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Samantha lay on the cot in her holding cell, staring at the ceiling. She had exhausted her tears for the day, as her face felt heavy and her eyes droopy. Yet she could not sleep, tossing and turning, she had lost track of time and didn’t know if it was night or day. Her family had been captured from what she had heard, but she did not know when her trial was going to be. 

Her thought was interrupted by the magical door being opened from the other side. A young man, dark skin and straight black hair walked in. He wore a modern, clean cut suit with no tie. Sam did not recognize him. 

“Hello there.” He entered the room and jumped a bit when the door closed behind him. He carried a plastic bag, the type muggles carry around sometimes.

He approached the table in the middle of the room and set down the contents of the plastic bag on top of it. An assortment of treats, biscuits and drinks. Sam perked up a little, though she did her best to hide it. 

“Come on, have a seat. I’m not here to interrogate you. I’m here to help.” He smiled, and it seemed to sincere, Samantha nearly believed him. He seemed to notice her hesitation. “Really. I’m not with the Ministry. Have a seat and I’ll explain everything.”

Sam could not run and she could not hide. She glanced at the foodstuffs the man had brought. They were all in colorful plastic packages and she recognized them from muggle stores her parents had robbed to keep them fed. She approached carefully and sat down in front of him. 

“I’m Dev Mallick.” He extended out his hand. “What’s your name?” 

“You don’t know my name?” Sam asked. 

“I do. But I want to know how you like to be called.” He said. 

“Oh.” She had not been expecting that answer. “Sam.” 

“Lovely. So, Sam, I brought some tasty snacks. I assumed they haven’t been giving you things children should have.” 

Sam nodded. They had only given her normal stale tasting meals, not anything fancy like this. Then again, she had never been allowed many luxuries during most of her life. She began trying the treats and as soon as they hit her taste buds, she felt herself not being so miserable. There was candy, soda, juice, strongly flavored savory biscuits. It was quite nice to be treated like a child and not like a criminal. 

“So, now that you seem a bit more cheerful, let me explain why I’m here.” He began. “I’ve been sent here by SPUMP, the Department of Supervision and Protection of Underage Magic-Users in Peril, have you heard of it?” 

Sam shook her head, as he assumed she would. 

“We help kids that are being treated unfairly or that need assistance to fit in, in magical society. In most cases, we help muggleborn children and their families to get acquainted with the wizarding world but there are other circumstances we deal with too.” He paused a moment to check if she was following, and she was. “We got word of your trial and we were appalled at the way you have been mistreated by the Ministry. You were allowed no defense, and they had no parental consent to use the truth potion on you. You were treated unfairly, as you did not commit any crime besides using magic outside of school, which, under some circumstances, is excusable by law.” 

“What does that mean?” 

“That means, Sam, that I will defend you in court. You will not be forced to take the potion again.” 

Sam visibly relaxed upon hearing that and Dev felt his heart break a little. This child had been through so much already. He decided he would talk to Christina about getting her a counselor. 

“I don’t have any money.” Sam said, quietly. 

“You don’t have to worry about that. SPUMP is covering every expense.” He said. It was a half truth, as he wasn’t getting paid at all to do this, but he did not need to go through the details with the girl.

“Why?” She asked. Dev’s heart sank a little more. 

“Because, Sam. Everyone deserves a second chance.” Dev smiled and for the first time, Samantha smiled back, if only for just a second. It was enough for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated! Hope y'all are enjoying the story so far.


	3. Chapter 3

**_MUGGLE LAWYER STANDS UP TO THE MINISTRY: DOES SAMANTHA DOLOHOV DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE?_ **

_ For years, the notorious Dolohov family has evaded justice. They always seemed to be one step ahead of our Aurors for nearly 11 years. Harry Potter himself once led an unsuccessful chase before he stepped down as Auror five years ago. The reason why they had been so difficult to catch was revealed three days ago during Samantha Dolohov’s hearing, when under the truth potion, said that both her parents were animagus. Felicia Dolohov an owl and Antonin Dolohov, a moose. (Image right).  _

_ However, SPUMP (The Department of Supervision and Protection of Underage Magic-Users in Peril), the new branch of the ministry, intervened in the youngest Dolohov’s trial, supplying her with a legal defender, a Muggle lawyer named Dev Mallick.  _

_ Mallick claimed that the use of truth potion was unlawful by wizarding standards and there should have been parental consent in order for it to be administered to the currently 12 year old Samantha Dolohov. The ministry argued that parental consent was not necessary if the child’s parents or lawful guardian had been charged with any heinous crime, but upon close inspection of Wizarding Law, the wording stated quite clearly that it would be the case if the parents were convicted of a crime, which was not the case of the Dolohov family prior to today.  _

_ As retribution for such unlawful behavior on behalf of the Ministry, the youngest Dolohov, proven innocent by the thorough investigation, was allowed a full education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, under the supervision of SPUMP. However, for this to be possible, she has agreed to comply fully as a witness to all of the Dolohov’s crimes to the best of her knowledge. She is also required to give notice of the whereabouts of her older brother, Percival Dolohov- who is still at large- if he attempts to make contact with her. The failure to comply with these agreements will cost her education at Hogwarts and one to five years in Azkaban, depending on the circumstances.  _

Maggie looked at the moving image, set front page just under the title of the article. The lawyer seemed to be arguing calmly, while the Ministry Officials scowled. Samantha, sat in the center of the circular room, just looked sad and very small. 

The girl’s father had killed Maggie’s father. That much she knew. She had asked her grandmother at a very early age what exactly had happened to her parents and she did not withhold the information. Her parents had died heroes fighting in a war. 

It was an odd feeling she got when she thought about her parents.. Maggie did not miss them, not truly, for she had never known them, yet she felt a sense of yearning, curiosity. Her grandmother had always been kind, and they had wanted for nothing, especially with Harry and Ginny’s help in raising them.

But her grandmother was sad most of the time, Maggie could tell. She looked at the old picture albums once in a while. Andromeda had always been smiling beside her daughter and her husband. Maggie would never forget the day she woke up in the middle of the night to grab some water and heard Andromeda talking to one of the old pictures, telling it about Teddy and Maggie as if they could hear it. 

_ “Teddy has such spirit, Nymphadora… your spirit. You would have taught him so much. And Maggie… She looks just like you when you were a girl, although her temperament is all Remus. They remind me so much of you. I wish you were here to see… ” _

It had been the only time she had cried because of her parents. She might not have felt their loss directly, but she knew it still affected her grandmother, even though she tried to hide it. Seeing her grandmother sad was the worst feeling in the world. 

Maggie looked at Samantha’s picture again, sadness replaced by frustration. True, the girl’s parents were in Azkaban, but they were still alive. It didn’t feel fair.

“You’re bit young to be reading the paper, don’t you think, dear?” Maggie jumped at Andromeda’s voice. She chuckled. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” 

“It’s okay.” Maggie set the paper down. “Grandma?”

“Yes, dear?” She said with kind eyes.

“Thank you.” Maggie said, unsure of what else to say. 

“For what?”

“For taking care of us.” Maggie said, formulating her words thoughtfully. “I know I remind you a lot of her… and… it must be hard.” 

Andromeda looked so surprised that for a moment Maggie was worried she had said something wrong. But soon, she smiled, her eyes shining with love. 

“No, my dear. Thank you.” Andromeda hugged her tight. “Thank you.” 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Christina sat on the soft white chair, reading through a muggle magazine. On first glance, the clinic seemed to be a normal one, and truly, it did have a mostly muggle based clientele. However, the backside of their greeting card read  _ “Treatment available for Wizards and Witches as well.”,  _ completely invisible to muggle eyes. 

She glanced at her watch for what seemed like the millionth time, her red shoes tapping slightly on the floor. She was the only one in the lobby besides the receptionist who kept popping bubblegum constantly as she texted on her phone. The appointment was an hour long, or so she had been told, but it had already gone nearly half an hour overdue, and she was beginning to get worried. Just as she was about to get up to pour herself a second cup of tea, the door finally opened. A middle aged man stepped out, a neutral expression on his face. 

“Ah, I was beginning to get worried.” Christina stood up as he closed the door behind him. “How did it go?” 

“Well, she didn’t say much, but she clearly had a difficult life. She exhibits many alarming behaviors linked to a few different disorders, such as depression and anxiety. It is possible that she might develop other things if not properly observed and treated. In order to make a complete diagnosis we must have several more sessions through the course of a few months.” He said. “Her beginning school is also a concern. For a girl who has lived her life on the run, only in the company of her immediate family, I imagine she will have trouble socializing and relating with people her own age. It will be difficult.”

“Hm.” Christina stroked her chin. SPUMP did not have enough resources to give Samantha full treatment. Perhaps one session per month, but no more than that. “What can I do to help her? I’m not sure when we’ll be able to bring her back.” 

“Make sure she knows she has your full support. She will need someone to count on and trust, free of judgment.” He said. Christina nodded. “If there is an emergency, you may contact me at any time, and if I think it is severe enough, you can bring her here, free of charge.” 

“Thank you.”

“Of course, my dear.” He smiled. “Let me bring her back out.” 

Christina sighed, scratching the back of her neck. Samantha’s case was by far the most severe case she had known of, but then again, SPUMP had not been active for very long. She hoped she would be able to do her best by this girl and that somehow she could have a normal life someday. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Jackie was really, really bored. 

It had been three full days since she had left home and she was tired of being on her Nintendo DS all day long. Christina had suggested she start reading her textbooks ahead of time but Jackie just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Textbooks reminded her too much of her parents and thinking of her parents was just precisely what she was avoiding the most.

A large part of her just wanted to leave and walk around for a bit, but SPUMP headquarters kept a close eye on her when Christina was off running errands. 

Jackie sighed, sitting up on her bed and discarding her video game. The rooms at the headquarters were basically large hotel rooms with two seperate bedrooms. There was a refrigerator and a pantry in the common room, as well as a bathroom, a tv and a small table. There were no other kids or teenagers staying there at the moment, just her. Christina had explained that most kids had no need to stay away from home. That privilege was all hers, thanks to her stupid scientist parents who thought she was a freak. 

Jackie grunted and smothered her face in her pillows. She really needed to find something to do before she went crazy. 

As if someone heard her prayers, someone knocked on the door. Jackie instantly jumped from the bed and yanked open the door. 

“Someone’s energetic.” Christina said, a bit startled. 

“Of course! I’ve been stuck here all day. Where were you anyway?” Jackie said. 

“Sorry, I’ve been taking care of another case.” Christina spared Jackie the details. “May I come in? I have something to talk to you about.” 

“Sure!” Jackie opened the door for the older woman. “What’s up?” 

“You’ll be having company during the remainder of your summer break.” 

“Awesome! Who is it? Are they here already?” 

“Yes, she’s here. She’s down at the lobby. We’re going to order food tonight and have dinner together so you get to know each other.” 

“Cool. How old is she?” 

“Just a year older than you, I believe.” Christina said, but her eyes betrayed concern. “Jackie, I know you’re glad to have company but… she’s not an ordinary girl.” 

“What, is she a witch?” Jackie rolled her eyes playfully. 

“Yes.” Christina chuckled. “What I mean is that she has had a very hard life. She’s not accustomed to being around people her own age.” 

“Oh…” Jackie softened a bit. 

“You’ll be her neighbor during summer break, keep that in mind. Don’t ask her too much about her past alright?” 

“Okay.” Jackie nodded with sudden determination. She would not spend the rest of her summer alone in a room with no one to talk to but Christina. Not that she wasn’t decent company, but she old. Old people usually don’t like to do stuff. She could keep her curiosity in check… at least for now.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Sam waited in the lobby, chewing on her nails. If her mother were here she would reprimand her and tell her that a respectable witch should not exhibit such nervous behavior. But her mother was not here, so she continued until her fingers began to sting. 

SPUMP was located in a commercial building in London. They had the whole story to themselves, concealed from Muggle eyes. It was not very large, with a few rooms here and there. The receptionist kept looking at Sam when he thought that she couldn’t see him. Sam wanted to run, after all, it was what she was used to. Being in one place for too long was unnerving and strange, and the receptionist’s gaze did not help to calm her. 

Christina finally came back after what seemed like forever with a girl by her side. The girl was very pretty, with dark smooth skin and big healthy hair and was so tall! Sam felt herself shrink, her throat clenching. This girl would never be friends with her, Christina shouldn’t have made her believe it could be possible. 

_ Sam, breathe. Count to 100 until you forget what you were scared about.  _ She heard her brother’s voice in her head. She began to count.  _ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…  _

“Sam, I’d like you to meet Jackie. She’s going to be in your year at Hogwarts.” Christina said. Sam paled. How had they approached so quickly? 

“Nice to meet you.” Jackie held out her hand. Sam froze for a few seconds, but eventually took the girls’ hand and shook it weakly. 

“Nice to meet you too.” Sam tried to smile, but she felt like it was more of a grimace.

“I was thinking we should order some pizza, right Chris?” Jackie smiled. 

Christina narrowed her eyes. “Brilliant..  _ Jacquelyn _ .” 

Jackie’s smile faltered a bit and her face flushed. “Heh… cool.” 

“I’ll place the order. Feel free to get acquainted.” Christina smiled warmly again, as if nothing had happened. Sam seemed quite confused at the altercation. 

“Don’t worry, she seems intimidating but she’s nice. Just a quite proper english lady, ya know?” Jackie did a purposefully poor imitation of a british accent, eliciting a quiet giggle from Sam. 

“What flavor would you like, girls?” Christina said, her hand over the speaker of the phone. 

“Pepperoni. How about you, Sam?” Jackie said. 

Sam flushed, trying to hide the fact that she wasn’t quite remember what a pizza was. She just shrugged. “Pepperoni is fine.” 

Sam fiddled quietly with her fingers again, though refraining from putting them in her mouth in front of Jackie. 

“So um…. do you play videogames?” Jackie said.

“I uh… don’t know what that is….” Sam responded. 

“What?” Jackie paled in absolute horror. “Your entire world is going to be changed tonight, sister. I don’t have my Playstation with me but the Nintendo DS will do for now.” 

“Um.. ok.” Sam nodded.

Jackie began raving off talking about this “videogame” thing and Sam kept nodding, listening and trying to understand. Sam had by now figured out that this girl had no idea who she was, and for that she was grateful. She remembered Christina’s words from earlier that evening. 

_ “Mudblood is not the appropriate term for Wizards and Witches born to Muggle parents. You must call them Muggleborns if you must label them at all. It will avoid ostracization from your peers, alright?”  _

Sam repeated to herself while hearing Jackie speak.  _ Muggleborn, not mudblood. Muggleborn, not mudblood. _ Jackie was talking to her like she was a person, not a monster or as someone deserving of pity. She would not ruin it. She couldn’t. 

“Sorry, am I talking too much? My dad says I talk too loud….” Jackie trailed off. 

“I enjoy hearing you speak.” Sam said. 

“I think you’re the first person who’s ever said that to me.” Jackie said with a tone of jest, but her eyes betrayed a bit of truth. 

Sam smiled back, content to just listen and frankly quite grateful that she didn’t have to speak much. The rest of the night continued much the same, Jackie and Christina chatting and Sam just listening. 

And pizza, Samantha had found, tasted lovely. She was sure she must have eaten half of it on her own in just one sitting. This seemed to please Christina very much. 

She went to sleep that night in a warm bed with a full stomach for the first time in what seemed like ages. Jackie promised her that she would show her her videogames first thing in the morning, and for just a moment, as she drifted off into sleep, Sam didn’t feel so scared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom. Another chapter. Feedback is much appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

“This is where you´ll be staying for the remainder of summer.” Christina showed them the SPUMP owned grounds. It was a cobblestone road with about ten small bungalows on each side and a common building at the very end. The houses had no fences and very little spaces in between each. In the distance, up in the hills, Hogwarts stood in plain view. The sunset in the distance made its imposing stone walls shine orange. The lake glowed much in the same color. “Jackie in house number one and Samantha in house number two. I will be just across the street in house number six, if you may need me. Now, let's get you two settled in, shall we?” 

Jackie and Sam followed the woman inside house number one. Samantha set down her suitcase next to the closet and did not unpack. The only thing she took was a picture of her family. Oddly, Christina noticed, it was a muggle photo and did not move. Samantha set it on the bedside table and sat on the freshly made bed, taking in her surroundings. 

The house was new, fresh paint still on the walls. That meant that it was plain, with a neutral energy betraying that no one had lived inside it before. There were only two separate spaces: the living room and kitchen which did not have any division between them and a suite. The kitchen was functional, with a small stove and miniature refrigerator. The house also had electric wiring, at which Jackie seemed very relieved about. 

At house number two, Jackie also did not bother unpacking yet, although she immediately connected her portable video game into an outlet to charge. 

“Sweet!” Jackie smiled as she looked out the window of her room. “My window is right across from yours!” 

Sam joined Jackie, gazing out the window. Truly, the houses being so close to one another, they would be in touching distance of each other in their respective houses if only they just reached out their arms. Sam felt herself relaxing a bit, not noticing that she had already been nervous at the thought of sleeping alone. 

“Cool.” Sam said. The word felt odd coming out of her mouth, but Jackie said it so much, she figured it was how kids her age were supposed to talk. 

“Come now, let me introduce you to the main hall. Come along.” Jackie jumped off the bed, excited and Sam followed suit. 

The main hall had two stories and was very pretty, also smelling new and pristine. Christina showed them the main lobby and introduced them to some of the staff. The receptionist, Pamela, was very young and fresh out of Hogwarts. If she did recognize Sam, she did her best to hide it and was very kind to them both. The cook, Abigail was a chubby woman with red cheeks and a kind face, in her early 40s probably. She promised she would do her best to keep them well fed and happy. Her assistant, her son Nathaniel, was like a male and skinny version of her. He had a stutter that made Jackie have to contain herself from laughing. 

“So, saving the best for last, Chris?” A voice came from atop the stairwell that led to the lobby´s mezzanine. Sam recognized him instantly. 

“Do not call me that, Dev.” Christina replied, looking stern at first. She didn't contain her smile for long, though. 

“Forgive me, darling. Force of habit.” Dev smiled and pranced down the steps, bearing another plastic bag. 

“Who's this guy?” Jackie tried to whisper in Sam's ear. But the lobby was too silent and empty for it not to be heard. 

“I don't believe we've met, Ms. McAllister. I’m Dev.” He shook her hand. Then he turned towards the other girl. “Nice to see you again, Sam.” 

Sam flushed and nodded, refraining from running up to the man and hugging him. “It’s good to see you too, Mr. Mallick.” 

“Please, call me Dev.” He winked. “So Christina called me over for dinner today. I heard we were going to have lovely company and a most dazzling meal, so I did not miss up the opportunity. I also brought deserts.” He held up the plastic bag.

“You cannot bring them sweets everyday, Dev. It will make their teeth rot.” She rolled her eyes, trying to seem mad, but failing once more

“So every other day, then.” He said, but did not wait for an answer. “Come along girls, there’s still more rooms to explore.” 

He lead them up the steps. Jackie followed him immediately, but Sam glanced at Christina for confirmation that it was okay to follow him. Christina nodded, amused by Dev’s theatrics and also followed along. 

“Boom.” Dev said as he opened one of the doors. “I don’t mean to brag but this room was all my idea.” 

“No way!” Jackie opened up a huge smile. 

It was a full out game room with board games, a pinball machine and an ice hockey arena. There was also a ping pong table and a few other muggle toys scattered about. 

“Mr. Dev, you are the freaking best!” Jackie hugged him, taking him by surprise. 

“You always do steal my thunder, Dev.” Christina said under her breath, shaking her head. Dev may have had the idea, but she’s the one who had seen it through. She let him have his moment, though. He deserved it. 

“Come along girls, it’s time for supper.” Christina said. 

“Aw, man! We just got here! Can’t we stay a little?” Jackie pleaded.

“You may play after dinner. Besides, you’ll have the whole room to yourselves for the remainder of the summer.” Christina smiled. 

“Fine…” Jackie took one last look at the room with a longing gaze. 

As the rest of them walked towards the door, Sam stood frozen in place. After everything she had been through in the past few weeks, she certainly did not expect to be in such a comfortable position. It felt so strange to finally feel safe. She hesitated in enjoying it fully, afraid that it would slip between her fingers like it always had before. 

“Sam, dear? Are you alright?” Christina called to her. 

“Yes.” Sam turned sharply and walked towards them. “Sorry.” 

“It’s alright.” Christina put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Come along now.” 

  
  


* * *

  
  


The lake was very nice in the summer. It was especially nice to know that Samantha was stepping into the cold water not to take a bath but to just relax. The feeling, like most ones had been these days, felt foreign but welcome. Sam smiled as she looked out into the distance. The water was up to her knees but Jackie was already swimming about, diving and looking for rocks. Jackie, besides swimming goggles, had on a one piece swimsuit. Sam was wearing a bottom piece, swimming shirt with long sleeves and a circular hat. All the sun did to her was make her red and give her more freckles, a fate she was trying to avoid. 

“Don’t go too far out!” Christina yelled from behind them. She sat with Dev on top of a picnic towel.

“Let her be, Chris.” Dev lay in the sun, not even bothering to look up.

Samantha ventured in a bit deeper and joined Jackie where she swam about. “Did you find anything?” She asked. 

“Nothing, man.” Jackie sighed, breathing a bit heavy. “I thought a magic lake would be more likely to have cool rocks but I guess I was wrong. These all look the same!” 

“That’s a shame.” Sam said. “You should keep trying. I’m sure you’ll find something.” 

“In a while. I think I’m gonna take a snack break. You coming?” 

“No, I just got in the water, thank you.” 

“Mkay.” Jackie said, though as she was leaving she paused and turned around. “Hey, Sam?” 

“Yes?”

“Do you think they’re dating or something?” Jackie asked, gesturing vaguely towards their temporary guardians. Christina was reading a book and Dev lay next to her in the sun. Their legs were touching and they seemed to be very comfortable in each other’s presence. 

“No.” Sam said bluntly. “They are married.” 

Jackie raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

Sam nodded. “I think so. They have matching rings.” 

“Hm.” Jackie paused. “Cute, I guess.” 

“Yes, they do seem to match, don’t they?” Sam and Jackie looked at them for a bit. Christina was short but stout, a bit muscular even. Dev was taller, a bit lanky with long limbs. Her hair was thin and straight, light brown almost golden in the sunlight. He was all dark, with thick black hair and full beard. 

Christina looked up from her book. “Is everything alright?” 

Both girls flushed, having been caught staring. “It’s fine! I was just wondering if there’s still some uh... sandwiches!” Jackie said. 

“I count at least three.” Dev said, lifting his head up a bit. “You, you and you. That makes three.” He pointed at each of them with a stupid smile on his face. Sam and Jackie seemed confused and Christina looked unimpressed. 

“You know… because you’re all in the sand….” He continued, doing his best to contain his laughter. “Sand Witches.” 

“In moments like these I wonder why I decided to marry you.” 

Jackie turned to Sam and pointed at them, freaking out a bit, asking silently if Samantha had heard what Christina had just said. Samantha crossed her arms and smiled, mouthing:  _ I told you so  _ in response. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


_ Dear Jackie,  _

_ How is your summer going? My summer is going well but very very slow. I want to start school soon. My Godfather Harry says that his best years were spent in Hogwarts and I really can’t wait for it to start.  _

_ I was really fun spending that afternoon with you that day in Diagon Alley! The owl you picked out is super cute. Also, thanks for the suggestion of a name for my bat. Bruce fits perfectly! I already asked my grandma to buy us that Batman comic. She says it’s going to arrive in the mail soon. _

_ Anyway, that lady that was with you that I don’t remember her name said you’re adjusting to a lot of new things since you found out you were a witch. Me and Teddy can help you with whatever you need! I hope we get sorted into the same house.  _

_ I just talked to my grandma, she said you might not know about the house thing. Every student is sorted into a Hogwarts House according to your personality traits. Each house embodies the ideals of one of the founding members of Hogwarts.  _

_ Hufflepuff: values kindness and hard work and fairness (my mom’s house) _

_ Gryffindor: values bravery, chivlary (I’m not sure how to spell that) and nerve (my dad’s house)  _

_ Ravenclaw: values smarts, wit and creativity  _

_ Slytherin: Values ambition, resourcefulness and fraternity (my grandma’s house). This house is mostly viewed as a house for bad people because a lot of people from this house were part of a war lead by a very bad guy, but she said that actually most Slytherins are not bad. My grandma isn’t bad and she’s a Slytherin, so there’s that.  _

_ Anyway, can’t wait to see you soon. Teddy says that he can’t wait to see you too! Which house do you think you’ll be in? What class are you most looking forward to? I’m excited for Flying lessons and Defense Against the Dark Arts. My dad used to teach it and now my Godfather Harry teaches it. Maybe someday I’ll teach it too! Who knows? _

_ See you soon!!  _

_ -Maggie  _

Jackie smiled as she finished reading the letter. Maggie and Teddy had been really nice to her that day at Diagon Alley and she was relieved that Maggie had kept true to her word and written a letter. She was also relieved the letter was from her and not from her parents. She picked up a pen and ripped a page from one of her new notebooks and quickly began scribbling a response. 

Samantha observed Jackie from the bed as the girl wrote. School was going to start in a couple days and the dreamy atmosphere of summer was close to an end. That meant that Jackie would make new friends and reunite with some of the friends she already had, the ones she was writing to. Those friends would be scared of Samantha and they would tell Jackie all about the Dolohov family and exactly who she was. The thought itself made Sam already begin to panic. 

Jackie was going to hate her. 

_ Breathe, Sam.  _ The memory of Percival’s voice filled her head.  _ Count to 100. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6….. _

“What are you counting?” Jackie asked, making Samantha jump. Had she been counting out loud? 

“Um… nothing. It… helps me calm down sometimes.” Samantha flushed. 

“What are you nervous about?” 

“School…” 

“I’m nervous too…” Jackie said and glanced at her stack of textbooks. “I never was really good at school stuff.” 

“You’ll do great, I’m sure.” Sam said.

“So will you! We’ll help each other right?” 

“Of course.” Sam gave a half smile. She wasn’t worried at all about the classes. Her fears went much deeper than an insecurity, but she didn’t dwell on it further. 

Samantha decided she would enjoy their last days of summer together before Jackie eventually forgot about her. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. All good times must end, it was what she was used to. She had survived much bigger heartbreaks, she would survive this one too. 

Hopefully. 


End file.
